"I took my 6yr old son here for two..."

Thank you for your feedback which has been discussed with the Associate Director who has met with the Senior Nurse in the General Anaesthetic Department. Your suggestion to be seen in one place was reviewed by the Senior Clinician approximately 12 months ago as part of a Service Improvement Review and at that stage it was not possible to change the assessment point, because the Clinicians involved in this also had clinical commitments within that area. However, it is intended to review this again shortly to see if anything could be done to have the assessment and treatment in the one place.

Your second point about the presence of seven members of staff in the operation theatre has also been discussed. It would be usual to have in the operating theatre a Dentist, Anaesthetist, one Registered Dental Nurse, an operating Dental Practitioner and in most cases a trainee Anaesthetist. It is also possible for there to be a Dental Student. Patient safety is obviously a priority and it is important to have the appropriate members of staff present. Being a Teaching Hospital we also are required to provide our students with a high level of training, by observing all processes. Whilst saying this on occasions if a child is particularly nervous, numbers are kept to a minimum which would be the Dentist, Anaesthetist and Registered Dental Nurse and an operating Dental Practitioner. The team have been asked to consider how there visual presence may feel and to review the positioning of people in the theatre to make it seem less daunting for Children.

We are very grateful for your comments as they do help us to review services to ensure they are of the highest quality.